(RNS) “It’s bringing awareness to true beauty and to taking off the mask,” said coordinator Becca Daniel. “I believe that there’s a need because of the culture that we live in. It’s just very much beauty-saturated: ‘beauty’ meaning what’s on the outside.”

WASHINGTON (RNS) The percentage of a church member’s income given to churches dropped to 2.3 percent in 2011, down from 2.4 percent in 2010.

(RNS) Of the top 25 colleges where men are likely to meet their spouse, all are private Christian institutions, according to an analysis done by Sofus Macskassy and Lada Adamic, researchers on Facebook's data science team. More than 60 percent of the top 25 colleges where women are likely to meet their spouse are also private religious schools.

WASHINGTON (RNS) As the government shutdown enters its second week, some religious groups are starting to feel the pinch, and they're also finding ways to reach out.

Groups with a mission to spread prejudice and hatred against Muslims are coordinated and well financed, according to a report released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based civil rights group.